Concussions and the Neck

Concussions have recently been receiving a lot more attention, and for good reason. As we understand more about concussions and head injuries, we become more aware of how vital prevention and proper treatment is. The NFL has been in trouble regarding their concussion protocol because they allegedly omitted data from a concussion study done from 1996-2001. A new class-action lawsuit against the NFL is now open to any player that has sustained numerous head traumas while playing and has been preliminarily diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalitis (CTE).

It doesn’t take football field injuries to get a concussion. The truth is that the majority of concussions happen in daily life, during sports games and practices, and in simple car accidents. Healthcare providers who treat patients after a head injury find that their main challenge is properly diagnosing and managing concussions. A few of the most common symptoms that patients experience after a head injury are lingering headaches, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, and other cognitive deficits.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Relieves Concussion Symptoms

Injuries severe enough to lead to a concussion also have the potential to damage the structures of the neck. The upper cervical area of the spine is particularly susceptible to misalignment if a traumatic head injury is endured, which means a high likelihood of concussion symptoms. This is the case is because the vertebrae in the upper cervical spine protect the brainstem, a vital part of the central nervous system. This is why it is so important to get your atlas alignment checked following an injury.

There is a chance that when many post-concussion symptoms aren’t resolved after a reasonable amount of time, they have been caused by an atlas misalignment. Upper cervical chiropractors perform thorough examinations of each patient to locate whether there is a misalignment and the precise angle of the misalignment. If this is the case, we are fully equipped to gently and precisely correct the subluxation. The Atlas Orthogonal technique is the method that we use here at Synergy Chiropractic. Each adjustment we provide is individualized for the unique needs of the patient. We provide care for concussion patients, both young and old, achieving lasting results and avoiding the need for ongoing medications or therapies.